


Humanity

by limeta



Category: Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon & Comics)
Genre: Gen, Monsters, One Shot, The Unknown (Over the Garden Wall)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23841562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/limeta/pseuds/limeta
Summary: The Woodsman thinks the Beast isn't as above humanity as he thinks. The Beast just wants to get his antlers free.
Relationships: The Woodsman & The Beast
Comments: 11
Kudos: 54





	Humanity

Now, the Beast wanted to believe he was a being that had never made a miscalculation in his entire, endless life –but this would be wrong and much too arrogant of him. However – he growled and pulled to the left – at the very least he still expected not to go through this.

He pulled to the right. There was no difference except his impatience seemed to be growing. Out of frustration he clasped his wooden hand into a fist and punched the offending tree in anger. Birds, rattled by such noise, fluttered their wings and escaped higher.

He was stuck. His antlers specifically.

The Beast was stuck between two Edelwood trees. It was poetic in a way. That boy with his naïve brother would find it poetic, he supposed. Another tug. It did nothing. Irony seeped through the poetic nature of his predicament.

A new bird, this one black as the night, perched itself on his antler and began to sing. Usually this would amuse him. He was a fan of music and the sung world. Yet now, the Beast wasn't up to singing. He was angry. Furious. White rage overwhelmed his senses. He tugged, pulled, pushed and it all yielded him nothing. It was undignified and not at all how he wished to present himself in the world, but he let out a loud, frustrated groan.

The first time this had happened the filthy cat had found him. It pretended to be a skeleton, that one. Rounded up an entire village and made them his minions. A benevolent ruler, he called himself. The Beast laughed at that in mockery.

The second time this had happened Whispers found him and set him free. He promised not to harm her niece or her in exchange for her kindness. They left on good terms. He was lucky to be near her home that time.

Now he was in a completely opposite direction of the two people who wished to help him. Or could be convinced to help. Now he was...The Beast let out a lower groan this time. ''The Woodsman leaves near here.''

He hit the tree again, willing to let out his anger and misfortune emotions before meeting. He began to prepare himself for this most embarrassing encounter. A deep sigh. Inhale, exhale. The Beast snarled, ''The Unknown has a warped sense of humour.’’ It would be better to get it over with.

‘’La la la – la la la chop the wood to light the fire!'' He sang the familiar tune that lured the Woodsman to his location. He was more desperate than he was proud. The bird chirped again and he shouted at it to leave. In fear of angering the eldest creature in the woods, it flew away in a hurry.

''Beast!'' The Woodsman's voice brought out two emotions in the beast. One was anger, embarrassment shame all in one. While the other was happiness. Then he realized that maybe, just maybe there was a chance that The Woodsman _wouldn't_ help him out.

He should have thought out this plan a bit more. ''Greetings, Woodsman.'' The Beast couldn't even stare him down with his eyes. The Woodsman just had to come from behind him.

This situation made the Beast feel cornered, uncomfortable. He scratched a tree out of habit. It was a nervous tic he had made a habit of during these times...when he got stuck. How humiliating it was to actually have a count of how many times he’d gotten stuck like this. It irritated him.

''Turn around and face me like you are known to!'' The Woodsman demanded and buried his axe in the ground. Like this he could be cut down, couldn’t he? Whispers and the Cat had no ill will towards him. He and the Woodsman were not on good terms.

The Beast would not shudder. He was above that. The Woodsman wouldn't be stupid enough to try to cut him down...would he? Unknown’s oldest resident tried looking behind his shoulder to see the human but hissed. The antlers began to ache. This position was starting to hurt now. He cursed himself for showing weakness in front of the woodsman.

''Are you...stuck?'' There was a slight mirthful tone in the question.

The Beast huffed.

''You are, aren't you!''

''Is my lantern lit?'' This was the most important thing. Pride be damned. He would outlive the Woodsman just as he had outlived all of the other Lantern Keepers.

''Yes, Beast, it is.''

That was one less thing to worry about.

* * *

The Woodsman watched the Beast with amusement in his eyes. This was a one in a lifetime opportunity to cut him down. He was not a billowing target that moved with agility and mocked him for his slow, mortal speed. Another thing the Woodsman noticed stayed his hand. His skeletal, powerful arms dangled in front of him. Even though the Beast may be stuck, he was not powerless. It would be too stupid of a move to attack him.

''You are not singing...'' The Woodsman narrowed his eyes. ''Do not tell me this predicament has cut your tongue just as it has your movement?’’

The Beast was acting uncharacteristically glum. The eldritch entity that was known for annoying him with his unbearable singing was now staring at the ground without any emotion. His eyes were dimmed, hazy even.

''I am tired, Woodsman.'' The Beast finally admitted. He even flippantly fanned his question with a claw made of shadow and bark.

''How long have you been stuck there?'' The Woodsman barely suppressed a laugh as he asked. He could only imagine.

''One, perhaps two days. Who knows...There is no clear sky one can navigate with. The deep Unknown is a place of despair indeed.'' He chuckled. ''It is a nice place to live alone in...''

''And yet you asked for me,'' The Woodsman noticed and made a show to remind him, ''you must have been really desperate for freedom. Or you were _lonely_.'' He could not fathom the Beast in need of company.

''Even I do not like isolation, Woodsman. Everyone needs company once in a while.'' The Beast was peeved with the gall of the Woodsman to ask these things and not offer to help get him out immediately. He hated this. He hated how weak he looked now. It was demeaning to his usual nature.

The Beast clenched and unclenched his hands. The Woodsman noticed the other tic. ''No need to fret, Beast. I mean you no harm,'' he used the same tone and sentence structure the Beast used at times. He was _mocking_ him.

When this was all over he would go in search of a new Woodsman. This one he would turn into a wretched well of despair. It was exactly what he deserved for this behaviour. The Beast tried pulling his antlers out of the tree but failed once more. Anger overcame him as he growled and threw a fit. He pulled harder so much that the tree tops rustled, what few birds remained finally flew out and he was left frustrated and even more stuck. ''WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME!?''

''...This isn't the first time you got stuck?'' The Woodsman couldn't contain his laughter.

''Silence Woodsman. Silence.'' The Beast threatened.

''What are you going to do? Make another fit?''

There was a long silence between the two before The Beast spoke slowly, clearly, quietly: ''What were you like before I stepped in your life?''

The Woodsman frowned at the question. What was wrong with the beast? This wasn't the eldritch spirit he was used to. This looked like a tired creature. He wasn't singing. He wasn't haughty, arrogant, etc. It made the Woodsman uneasy.

''I was happier, Beast.''

''All of you were...'' The Beast answered to himself but the Woodsman overheard him.

''Do you want my help?'' The Woodsman asked, careful how to phrase his question. Using need would be another slap in the face to him. He looked like his day was bad. He saw a small nod and grabbed his axe as he came near. ''You're in between two Edelwood trees. Isn't that convenient? Ha, I was looking for oil.''

 _Oh, Wwoodsman. If only you knew what you were using for that oil._ The Beast gazed at the ground and followed the turtle slowly pacing.

''Just, hand me the axe.'' The Beast said, ''I am missing...fifty centimetres to the two branches keeping me trapped. I shall give it back.'' He opened his palm and waited. The Woodsman was apprehensive at first, but handed it to him nonetheless.

''Can you tell me if I am close, I cannot see and cutting my own antler off would not be productive.''

''It would be funny.'' The Woodsman commented.

''It would not be funny to **_me_**.'' The Beast grumbled. He began chopping the wood, seeing that it didn't hurt him he figured he was chopping the correct tree... The Woodsman kept a vigilant eye. When the Beast freed his first antler, the Woodsman twitched at his booming yell. The beast's eyes glowed brighter than ever. ''Good...good!''

''Wait, beast!'' The Woodsman shouted when the beast was about to bring down the axe and set his other antler free. ''What is it, Woodsman,'' the entity hissed in anger.

''...A little to the left.''

The Beast moved his arm as the woodsman told him to.

''Go on now.''

Once freed completely, he handed the Woodsman his axe back and saw that the lantern was indeed lit to its full potential.

''Thank you, Woodsman...You have been most helpful.''

The praise caught the Woodsman was caught off guard, especially the strange melancholic tone the Beast used.

He smiled a little in return to the hollow eyes. ''You are welcome.''

Maybe the Beast of the Unknown wasn't so above humanity like he presented himself to be after all.

‘’Never speak of this or I will **_gut_** you in your sleep, Woodsman.’’

Too much to hope, apparently. As the Beast receded into the shadows of the darkest parts of the Unknown, the Woodsman shouted: ‘’You cannot even go through my front door with those antlers!’’

A black turtle flew through the air. He dodged it, but the implications were too ridiculous to be true: ‘’Did you just throw that at me?’’


End file.
